Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination — substantive hearing
Struck off the register
The regulator’s term: erasure
What does “struck off the register” mean?
Being struck off (the regulator calls this "erasure") removes the practitioner from the register. They are no longer permitted to practise this profession in the UK. Erasure can be reviewed after a minimum of five years, but is otherwise indefinite.
Concerning Attiya Sheikh, doctor (General Medical Council 6079351).
Decision date: 10 February 2026 · Hearing started 9 February 2026 and ended 10 February 2026
In plain English
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Attiya Sheikh's fitness to practise was impaired by reason of her conviction. In May 2025 she was convicted of handling stolen personal protective equipment taken from NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment. The tribunal concluded the offending was premeditated, persistent and connected to her role as a doctor, and that she had shown no meaningful insight or remediation. On 10 February 2026 it directed that her name be erased from the medical register and imposed an immediate order.
Charges
On 16 May 2025 at Paisley Sheriff Court, Dr Sheikh was convicted of resetting (handling) a quantity of personal protective equipment, the property of NHS Scotland, between 30 May 2020 and 7 October 2020, the same having been dishonestly appropriated by persons unknown. On 18 July 2025 she was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment.
Findings
The Tribunal found Dr Sheikh's fitness to practise impaired by reason of her conviction. It assessed the conviction at the higher end of the spectrum of seriousness: the offending was premeditated, persistent over six months, connected to her professional role, involved interference with PPE supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, and resulted in a custodial sentence. The Tribunal found no meaningful insight or remediation and concluded Dr Sheikh poses a high current and ongoing risk to all three limbs of public protection. It found her behaviour fundamentally incompatible with continued registration and directed that her name be erased from the medical register, with an immediate order of suspension imposed pending the substantive direction taking effect.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
There was no evidence that Dr Sheikh had behaved in a similar way before or since May to October 2020.
Aggravating factors
Premeditated behaviour. A reckless disregard for patient safety or professional standards (in terms of interfering with the supply of PPE). Putting her own interests before those of patients.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
Spot something incorrect?
If a fact on this page is wrong, or you believe the page should not be published, please submit a correction or takedown request.